God gave W04 man two hands for a specific reason: so that he could hold *two* signs about President Bush’s re-election in 2004 at each event he attends! Here’s a military hero and soon-to-be Bush reelection hero who knows that 2004 is, well, just next year. He has founded his own grassroots activism campaign, complete with a website and stickers and his own Bushmobile!

W04man has been preparing for 2004 for some time. About a year ago, he started his "Bush 2004 Grassroots Campaign" website. He did so because he became really impressed with President Bush and how well he was running the country, especially after 9/11.

"So I got the idea to start campaigning for him because I knew he couldn't start campaigning himself. After seeing a couple of Gore 2004 web sites, I got really ticked off. I started the Bush 2004 Grassroots Campaign from the W-04.com website. At first, I thought it would get support from local Republican Committees or maybe the RNC. I found out later that this couldn't happen at the local level because of the McCain/Finegold Campaign Finance Bill. So I am the sole financial supporter of the Campaign."

He gets some financial help from the sales of products, but concedes he’ll never catch up for the investment. His family supports the campaign: his older brother Melvin helps with the sticker mailing from Louisiana, and of course his wife is supportive.

"She supports President Bush also; otherwise we wouldn't be able to live together like we have for 44 years. I tell my wife that this is my campaign contribution for 2004."

Running a grassroots conservative campaign, W04man of course has found common cause with the local DC Free Republicans.

"While gathering email addresses and sending out emails to publicize the Bush2004 Grassroots Campaign website, I ran across FReeRepublic.com last July. I've been hooked on FR ever since. I had tried using Yahoo Groups, then MSN Groups, thinking that would stir up some support for Bush2004, but I have found out that FR has produced more results, and it gives me a great outlet to be an activist. I check FR frequently all day long when I'm at home, and when I'm traveling (pleasure of course), I check in with my laptop."

W04man takes his message to the street on his own when he has time, such as in this photograph, shown outside the White House the day of President Bush's "State of the Union Address."

Of course, such a superhuman grassroots effort to reelect our forty-third President must be accompanied by proper wheels, and W04man’s taken those wheels into lots of high visibility places, including the 2002 July 4th parade in Dale City, Virginia.

Our reelection superhero, Mr. Oliver Perry Ditch (aka O.P. Ditch), was born in Lafayette, Louisiana (cajun country) in 1937. His mother's Maiden name was Broussard - a good cajun name. He was named after the doctor that delivered him, Dr. O. P. Daily. The "O.P." also stands for Oliver Perry, the admiral.

"My wife is also from that area. We graduated from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (ULL) (way back then it was called Southwestern Louisiana Institute). We've been married for 44 years and have 4 children and 6 grandchildren."

He lives in Virginia now and attends many of the local Freeps.

W04 has three Republican children and one on the fence who's leaning liberal (he lives on the Left Coast). But here’s the good news:

"I think all the grandchildren will be Republicans if they follow their parents."

Ah, if only there were a way to get them to vote in 2004!

You're going to fall in love with this little tyke (maybe even vote for HIM for President in, oh, about 2048?!). We didn't have to twist his arm too hard to convince W04 to let us post a photo of one of those grandchildren. Here's Jacob, and he's already campaigning for Bush in '04!

W04man spent 22 years in the United States Air Force; he retired as an 06 in 1983. With too much modesty, he adds as an afterthought:

"Oh, I forgot to mention, I did earn the 'Legion of Merit' and the 'Bronze Star' while in the service. The 'Bronze Star' was during my Vietnam service in 1966."

After retiring from the Air Force, he then went to work for Hughes Aircraft Company in Northern Virginia for 13 years. He has been involved with the internet since 1995 when he retired for the second time and started a home-based business creating internet websites. It was "too successful" and got to be more than he could handle; he sold it to one of his old AF buddies, and it's still going strong under the new ownership.

W04man’s second effort to retire did give him more time for the Republican cause, so he joined the local County Republican Committee. Being fully retired, he needed to find something to do. (Don’t you love this guy?) He is not *resting.* His grassroots website came as an outgrowth of his third futile effort to retire, when he "first helped a couple of local Republicans with their election campaigns. Mostly with donated web services, sign posting and a little lit dropping."

Well, W04man is not all work and no play. He and the missus like "crusing" and regret that they cannot attend the FreepsAhoy trip because of a previously scheduled cruise!

W04man takes photographs and videotapes of various conservative events and posts them on the web. You may have seen his photos of CPAC 2003 on Free Republic. He reports that his first actual Freep was on March 1, 2003 at the Rally for America IV. (Hmm, I dunno: his own grassroots activism over the last year in this area qualify as very good Freeps-of-one.) He reports that he had "a lot of fun."   I noticed! I was working the press table near where he was standing and he caught my eye because

1. he was so tirelessly holding up multiple Bush 2004 signs, and
2. he really did enjoy himself thoroughly.

Here he is - on the Right, of course! - at the end of the rally when the veterans were asked to come on stage.

And, like a good activist and a military veteran, he was also thinking tactically smart: I couldn’t help but notice that he stayed near the front of the stage and was careful to make sure his Bush 2004 signs were never too far from the CSPAN cameras! Even when he’s blocked from the shot, you can see his tall Bush 2004 signs!

Somewhere inside his patriotic heart, W04man knows this is not a good time to retire! 2004 is just around the corner; it’s getting to be about that time. *Do* check out his website: he has great grassroots ideas and campaign paraphernalia for re-electing President Bush.

W04man attended his second Freep with the DC Chapter this past Saturday, March 15, 2003. Donning a red-white-and-blue hat, he became an attractive target for Fox News' national camera staff. He gave a great, clear quote about supporting President Bush and the troops.